Team USA skated past a fundamentally-sound Swiss team to remain undefeated at the Vancouver games. The Americans outshot Switzerland 44-19 on route to a 2-0 win. Twenty-five year old New Jersey Devil, Zach Parise, scored both goals to help the USA advance to the semifinals. The top seeded Americans are 4-0 at the 2010 Olympics and two victories away from a gold medal. Team USA plays Finland on Friday.
Swiss backstop, Jonas Hiller, denied the USA with 42 saves. The left-handed Anaheim goalie allowed a goal in the third period off a Parise power play wrist shot to break the scoreless tie. The top-line forward sealed the game with his second goal, an empty-netter with eleven seconds remaining in regulation. The taut quarterfinal battle was a nerve-wracking and frustrating one for the Americans. Hiller smothered all U.S. attempts in the first two periods. Hiller dealt with shots, blasts and rebounds as the youthful US was unable to crack through with a goal. A team USA goal was disallowed because it came .1 second after the second period whistle. Parise finally solved Hiller’s brilliance by catching the talented netminder off balance. Ryan Miller, the American goalie from the Buffalo Sabres, was equally impressive. Miller made 19 saves in the stirring contest. Miller recorded the first American shutout in the Olympics since 2002.
Canada’s convincing and commanding 7-3 romping of rival Russia advances the host country to the semifinal round in men’s hockey. The world champion superpower Russians were dominated from start to finish in their quarterfinal contest with Canada. Ryan Getzlaf scored with two and a half minutes into the game to lift the Canadians to a 1-0 lead. The Russians notched their first goal off Roberto Luongo after Canada built a 3-0 advantage in the first. Canada’s Dan Boyle scored a goal and had two assists against his Anaheim teammate, goalie Evgeni Nabokov. Dimitri Kalinin sliced the Canadian lead to 3-1 with Russia’s first goal. Luongo replaced New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur after Canada fell to the Americans.
The Russians didn’t get many chances to fire shots because of the tight Canadian defense. The focused Canucks took advantage of Nabokov’s terrible goaltending. They increased their edge to 4-1 before the second period began before staging a four-goal win. Canada’s Brandon Morrow attacked the San Jose goalie for a soft goal to end the second period. Ilya Bryzgalov replaced Nabokov after Corey Perry and Shea Weber accounted for two more Canadian goals, for a 6-1 lead. Maxim Afinogenov responded with a Russian goal to pull his team within four of tying the score. Canada reestablished the five goal benefit on Perry’s second goal of the game. Sergei Gonchar slapped a shot past Luongo from the point to make it a 7-3 final. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were merely non-factors for their teams in the quarterfinal contest. Neither player had a point during the 10 goal affair. Luongo recorded 25 goals as the Canadians bounced back from a dismal defeat. The Russians were eliminated with the loss, and Canada goes on to face Slovakia. If both the USA and Canada advance on Friday, a rematch will be in order.
Parting Points: How does Pitt lose to Notre Dame without Luke Harangody?
Evan Turner rescues Ohio State by saving their bacon against Penn State. Gotta love #21.
Showing posts with label Zach Parise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zach Parise. Show all posts
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Brodeur Breaks Boston
Black Friday in Boston saw the snap of the Bruins season-high four game winning streak. History was also made in the New Jersey Devils 2-1 win over Boston in a shootout. New Jersy goalie, Martin Brodeur surpassed Hall of Famer Patrick Roy for the most minutes played in breaking Boston’s streak. The 37 year old eclipsed the 60,235 minutes record in the opening of the third period. New Jersey outshot the Bruins 37-33, but the goaltending was the story of the game for both teams. Something was always going on during the contest. The Bruins matched New Jersey’s electricity from the second the puck dropped at TD Garden.
The Devils earned their 16th victory of the season behind two Zach Parise goals. Parise was the lone Devil to score in regulation when he forced the puck into the net in the second period. Matt Halischuk was credited with his first assist of the year on the play. Parise extended his point streak to a career high nine games with the shot past Tuuka Rask. The Boston netminder allowed only Parise’s goal during regulation and was otherwise brilliant. Brodeur was a bit more fantastic in net and saved the game in the shootout. Blake Wheeler scored for Boston in regulation and in the shootout. Wheeler fired the tying shot 12 seconds into the third period to end Brodeur’s record shutout bid. The puck caromed off the glass, allowing Byron Bitz to set up Wheeler’s shot off Brodeur’s block. The Devils goalie needs one more shutout to tie Terry Sawchuk’s NHL record with 103.
Boston forced the Devils to play heads-up hockey and skate deep in their own zone throughout the game. New Jersey winger, David Clarkson took a wicked shot off his ankle from Zdeno Chara 2:30 in the opening period. Clarkson left the game and did not return for the already deterred by injuries Devils. Brodeur helped keep it a tie game instead of putting a damper on the Devils night. He made a quick stop on Marc Savard’s wrister from the slot in the closing seconds of regulation. Andy Greene has been piloting the Devils defense with the Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya on the sidelines. The Devils put up zeros on three power play opportunities. The Bruins did likewise. But, Boston brought a balanced attack and managed to send the game into overtime. The Devils were steady in the extra session to push the game into the deciding shootout. Patrice Bergeron failed on a forehand stuff for Boston. Patrik Elias couldn’t connect off Rask to give the Devils a point. After Wheeler whacked the puck past Brodeur in the second round, Parise notched his second goal. Parise answered Boston’s temporary lead with a deke just beyond Rask’s reach. David Krejci’s shootout shot was cut down with a Brodeur pad stop. Jamie Langenbrunner had a chance to seal the deal for the Devils. The 34 year old right winger skated in and jammed the game winner past Rask in the third round for the 2-1 dramatic Devils defeat. The team is now 4-1 in shootouts this season. New Jersey last conquered the Bruins at TD Garden on October 29th. Head coach, Jacques Lemaire, sent Yann Davis to the net in that win. Lemaire went with Brodeur last night, and it paid off for New Jersey. For Boston, it was a continuation of scoring woes. The Bruins were not without scoring opportunities against the Devils last night. In four of their last six games the Bruins have mustered one goal during regulation. Despite the disengaged offense, goalies Rask and Tim Thomas have kept Boston a winning hockey team.
I just have to continue my Parise praise. The former first round draft pick is always amazing me. The kid can play hockey. He is one of the most relentless and determined players in the NHL. Parise’s wrist shot Friday night was nothing short of spectacular. He just kept grinding his way to the puck until he had a chance to drive the loose object into the goal. Parise is the Devils’ most persistent and consistent scorer. New Jersey can count on Parise to get his minutes and his goals.
Parting Points: Congrats to WVU on taking this year’s Backyard Brawl.
Song of the day- “Sometime Around Midnight” by Airborne Toxic Event
The Devils earned their 16th victory of the season behind two Zach Parise goals. Parise was the lone Devil to score in regulation when he forced the puck into the net in the second period. Matt Halischuk was credited with his first assist of the year on the play. Parise extended his point streak to a career high nine games with the shot past Tuuka Rask. The Boston netminder allowed only Parise’s goal during regulation and was otherwise brilliant. Brodeur was a bit more fantastic in net and saved the game in the shootout. Blake Wheeler scored for Boston in regulation and in the shootout. Wheeler fired the tying shot 12 seconds into the third period to end Brodeur’s record shutout bid. The puck caromed off the glass, allowing Byron Bitz to set up Wheeler’s shot off Brodeur’s block. The Devils goalie needs one more shutout to tie Terry Sawchuk’s NHL record with 103.
Boston forced the Devils to play heads-up hockey and skate deep in their own zone throughout the game. New Jersey winger, David Clarkson took a wicked shot off his ankle from Zdeno Chara 2:30 in the opening period. Clarkson left the game and did not return for the already deterred by injuries Devils. Brodeur helped keep it a tie game instead of putting a damper on the Devils night. He made a quick stop on Marc Savard’s wrister from the slot in the closing seconds of regulation. Andy Greene has been piloting the Devils defense with the Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya on the sidelines. The Devils put up zeros on three power play opportunities. The Bruins did likewise. But, Boston brought a balanced attack and managed to send the game into overtime. The Devils were steady in the extra session to push the game into the deciding shootout. Patrice Bergeron failed on a forehand stuff for Boston. Patrik Elias couldn’t connect off Rask to give the Devils a point. After Wheeler whacked the puck past Brodeur in the second round, Parise notched his second goal. Parise answered Boston’s temporary lead with a deke just beyond Rask’s reach. David Krejci’s shootout shot was cut down with a Brodeur pad stop. Jamie Langenbrunner had a chance to seal the deal for the Devils. The 34 year old right winger skated in and jammed the game winner past Rask in the third round for the 2-1 dramatic Devils defeat. The team is now 4-1 in shootouts this season. New Jersey last conquered the Bruins at TD Garden on October 29th. Head coach, Jacques Lemaire, sent Yann Davis to the net in that win. Lemaire went with Brodeur last night, and it paid off for New Jersey. For Boston, it was a continuation of scoring woes. The Bruins were not without scoring opportunities against the Devils last night. In four of their last six games the Bruins have mustered one goal during regulation. Despite the disengaged offense, goalies Rask and Tim Thomas have kept Boston a winning hockey team.
I just have to continue my Parise praise. The former first round draft pick is always amazing me. The kid can play hockey. He is one of the most relentless and determined players in the NHL. Parise’s wrist shot Friday night was nothing short of spectacular. He just kept grinding his way to the puck until he had a chance to drive the loose object into the goal. Parise is the Devils’ most persistent and consistent scorer. New Jersey can count on Parise to get his minutes and his goals.
Parting Points: Congrats to WVU on taking this year’s Backyard Brawl.
Song of the day- “Sometime Around Midnight” by Airborne Toxic Event
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